Graveyard Smash
by UnderdogFan1254
Summary: After encountering one known as Avarice, The FlameClan apprentices (Duckpaw, Troutpaw, Lightningpaw, Cloudpaw and Plumpaw) decide to follow their words and bring the dead back to life. After all, what could happen aside from never having to die again?


The FlameClan camp was decorated with various pieces of light-colored bark, each with clawed etchings of crude-looking faces. Cypress-star, Yarrowflake and Appleheart had lit a small fire in the center of camp as night fell across the sky. The warriors had once sat around the blaze and spoke in hushed whispers about fallen family and friends, but now they were milling about and passing out trinkets to Cloudpaw, Lightningpaw, Troutpaw and Plumpaw.

As the fire turned to embers and the leaves in their jaws were filled, the four apprentices returned to their gorse bush den. Alderpaw and Duckpaw, Lightningpaw's aunt and Troutpaw's sister, respectively, sat in front of the bush judgmentally watching their denmates.

"You're too old for trick-or-treating," hissed Duckpaw to their sibling.

Troutpaw merely shrugged and let their leaf unfold on the ground. "I was just watching the fireflies," they argued. Their carrier reflected it. The wide catalpa leaf held merely the leg of a rabbit, two feathers of a coot, and a sprig of mint leaf.

Lightningpaw and Cloudpaw unloaded their leaves next. They were filled mostly with flowers and feathers, with the odd shell, stone or piece of prey tossed in.

"Ooh, ooh!" squeaked Lightningpaw, holding up a brown stone with a shell imprint for all her denmates to see. "A fossil!"

Cloudpaw quietly congratulated her before holding up a very shiny purple feather. Lightningpaw cooed.

A little while later, after the apprentices sorted through what they had received, Cypress-star and Chivefoot stomped out the remains of the fire. The brown tom then faced his daughter from across camp.

"It's time for bed, Plumpaw!" called Chivefoot.

Plumpaw grumbled to her denmates, who were burying the bones of the freshly-eaten prey, and slunked into the den with her favorite objects- a large, shiny crow feather; a stone with the imprint of a small fish; and a creamy, spiral shell- in her jaws. The other apprentices steadily followed, and those with prizes fixed them carefully in and around their nests.

A few moments after everyone settled, Lightningpaw would whisper a word at Cloudpaw, and Alderpaw would hiss at them. Then Duckpaw would scold Troutpaw again, and Plumpaw would remind them it was bedtime. Several, several heartbeats passed, and none of the apprentices could sleep. Duckpaw slowly shifted into a crouching position. Alderpaw, who laid beside the brown cat, looked up through slitted eyes.

"What are you-" asked the red-and-black apprentice. Duckpaw hissed to silence her, and steadily padded past the other apprentices. The two gray apprentices raised their heads, while Plumpaw pushed a bit further into her nest.

"Papa said it's time for bed…" whispered the black apprentice.

Duckpaw hissed once more. She flattened her ears to her head and slowly slid out of the gorse bush. It rustled rather loudly, causing Cloudpaw and Lightningpaw to press hard into the ground. Duckpaw turned around and sat down inside the dug-out den. As the gorse bush rustled once more, Troutpaw cringed.

"It's empty out there," Duckpaw whispered, getting into a crouch once more.

Plumpaw rose to a sitting position. Her usually dark eyes were bright in anticipation. "What are we gonna do, huh, Duckpaw?" she asked.

"_Keep your voice down," _Duckpaw snapped. She then gazed over her denmates, all of which watched her intently. "We're bustin' out."

Lightningpaw and Plumpaw both perked up, but Cloudpaw looked nervous.

"Have fun, copperheads," Alderpaw replied. She stretched a moment and curled into a russet-colored ball. "I _won't_ cry at your wake."

Duckpaw rolled her eyes and flicked her tail. "Mudsnake. C'mon, fellas."

Plumpaw hopped to her feet, tail high in the air. She slowly followed Duckpaw. Lightningpaw followed, hot on the young apprentice's heels. Cloudpaw slowly followed the pale tabby, and Troutpaw came out of the gorse bush after.

Duckpaw shushed everyone one last time before crouching down and cautiously padding across camp. Plumpaw furrowed her brows and turned to Cloudpaw as the other two apprentices followed.

"Why aren't we taking the main tunnel?" asked the black apprentice, "It's _right there."_

She motioned to the zig-zag bramble tunnel with a foot. Cloudpaw crouched and slowly followed the line. "Bramble rustles," she replied quickly, "Dirt doesn't."

Plumpaw fell in line with one last glance at the nearby tunnel. Both she and Cloudpaw were tail-lengths behind, but the glaring yellow-ish eyes stared at them from the darkness. They met silently, and even more quietly padded through the winding tunnel system that led to the dirtplace. The scent was atrocious, but Troutpaw explained that it would hide their scent.

Finally, the patrol emerged from the abandoned badger set and sat, silently, on the frosted moor. The moon was mostly full, and sat high in the sky. Plumpaw shook herself and glanced to her denmates. She sat beside Lightningpaw, though none of the other apprentices seemed too sure of what to do.

"Let's go wandering," Lightningpaw decided, padding forward. No one audibly disagreed, and contently followed her.


End file.
